Winter Hotties 2024/5

It has been a long winter, and if you’re anything like me, books have helped you get through it. Here are some of my favourites. 

The Man Who Never Called by Rosie Walsh ****+

What a stunner… Rosie Walsh has created that wonderful thing – a feel-good romance which is well-written and also truly suspenseful. She doesn’t just put obstacles in the way of her couple – she puts potentially insurmountable mountains of mystery.

When Sarah meets Eddie – in a place full of bitter memories – it seems too perfect to be true. They spend seven days together during which time they fall madly in love. But can you really find and recognise your soul-mate in seven days, and how well do you really know them? Sarah has to ask herself these questions (and many more) when after these seven days, Eddie never calls. Has he lost his phone? Has something happened to him? Or is he just one of those guys…?

Rosie Walsh’s writing has a rare emotional intelligence – it’s never slushy or clichéd and the twist, when it comes, is unexpected and powerful. Highly recommended.

 

The New Life by Tom Crewe ****

Crewe has taken real-life events from nineteenth century London, centring on a Society advocating a ‘New Life’ – a different way of approaching marriage and sex for example, which embraces (what were considered at that time) people’s ‘peculiarities’ such as sexual fetishes and homosexuality. At the time, such practices were criminal offences; during the time-span of the novel, Oscar Wilde is tried and imprisoned, a source of much discussion.

The two main protagonists are Henry and John, both based on people who lived at this time. Henry marries Edith; both of them favour a ‘new life’ and they do not consummate their marriage or live together – they enjoy more of a meeting of minds. Henry is not gay, but he does have certain fetishes, of which he is ashamed. But when Edith meets Angelica and forms an intimate relationship with her, he can’t help but feel left out.

John is well thought of, wealthy, with a respectable position. But although he is married with three daughters, he is gay and when he meets Frank in the park and falls in love, he is compelled to begin an affair and decides to bring his lover into the marital home.

When Henry decides to write a ‘medical book’ (as it is then considered) about sexual inversion, he approaches John to help him write it. But will the book be accepted in Victorian society? Will it change anything as the men hope or will it actually bring the authors and their families into disgrace?

Tom Crewe is an adept and fluent writer. He writes graphically about the male body and the sexual act as well as the historical period of the time, perhaps underlining the need for a lack of repression, for saying it as it is. For me, the descriptive writing was reminiscent of DH Lawrence and I found the novel engaging and informative. Recommended.

 

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak ***+

Ella, a housewife and mother of three, is approaching forty years old when she procures a job reading for a literary agency. For years she has contented herself with marriage to a man who has turned out to be a serial adulterer, who nevertheless maintains the pretence of being a perfect and supportive husband. But now, wanting to fill the emptiness in her life, Ella starts to read ‘Sweet Blasphemy’ and her life begins to change.

The book (a second narrative within the story) follows the life of thirteenth century wandering dervish Shams, a Sufi, and scholar and poet Rumi from the same period. Contained within it are the ‘forty rules’ and a wonderful mix of magic and mysticism.

By the time she has finished reading, Ella is ready and willing to change her life. She meets the author Aziz Z Zahara and makes some surprising choices.

I found this dual narrative fascinating. Elif is a skilled writer and in her hands the book avoids being preachy, a trap it could easily have fallen into. A refreshing, original and thought-provoking read.

 

Go As a River by Shelley Read ****

This beautiful story is set in 1940s Colorado where after the death of her mother, Victoria is the only female left in the household. She has no one to turn to for advice. Her father is taciturn and undemonstrative and her brother is an aggressive drunk. The family run a farm and a peach orchard and life is hard. One day, however, Victoria’s life changes forever when she meets Wilson Moon, a drifter of Indian origin, who has just walked into town. They fall in love, but the townspeople are bigoted and prejudiced and so they have to meet in secret, beginning a dangerous relationship.

In this story of coming of age, racism and survival against the odds, Victoria is forced to leave home, but she remains determined to save the peach farm that has been in her family for generations. The story echoes with the vivid descriptions of the land – a major character in the story, I would say, and it is an emotional and poignant read. Highly recommended.

 

The Philosophy of Love by Rebecca Ryan ***

Like all good romcoms, this novel made me laugh out loud and feel engaged with the characters. I knew what was going to happen – but I enjoyed the journey of getting there.

Alice (1^st person narrative) loved school (especially philosophy) and was good at it too. She even won the coveted ‘excellent’ competition at the end of her final school year – shared with Luke, the science boffin. But university in London showed her that she wasn’t quite as clever as she thought. Hence a fast-developing low self-esteem, followed by a relationship with the ‘pompous twat’ Charles (for ten years!) which ended in disaster.

This is the point at which we enter Alice’s story. At thirty, with nil self-worth, she has moved back to her parents’ house in Easington, poor, jobless and having completed only one year at university. Her family are ‘salt of the earth’ types but it isn’t until she meets Joanie at the local Chinese and Luke, her old school adversary, that her life takes a turn for the better. Who will win the £500 bet on the question: how rational is love? And in the end, will it really matter? The book makes a good stab at including some more thought-provoking material, but ultimately it is a romantic comedy and quite a good one too.

 

Half a World Away by Mike Gayle ***+

At forty, Kerry is a single mum caring for ten-year-old Kian. She is brave, generous and hard-working, and although she struggles financially, her work as a cleaner keeps the two of them afloat. Kerry was brought up in a children’s home, but sadly, at a young age, she was separated from her beloved brother Jason. One day, she makes up her mind to find him.

Jason has changed his name to Noah. He is married to Rosalind and they have a twelve-year-old daughter Millie. They lead a privileged life. Noah was adopted and had a happy childhood; now, he works as a barrister. But he finds it hard to open up to his emotions; he can’t face up to finding out about his past and until he does, he can’t solve the problems in his marriage.

This brother and sister are from different worlds and yet also from the same one – an interesting concept in itself. Mike Gayle explores what happens when they meet with sensitivity and perception and the impact on their lives makes for a tear-jerker of a novel. Recommended.